TOLEDO, Ohio – Toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie contaminated the Toledo water supply Saturday, and the city has been without water for hours.

No one knows exactly how long the water shortage will last, Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins said. Ohio Governor John Kasich declared a state of emergency in Toledo and the surrounding areas, as the state rushed water to the region.

An advisory to not drink or use the water went into affect early Saturday morning, according to a City of Toledo news release. Lake Erie test samples showed that the levels of a toxin called microcystin registered too high for consumption. The algae grows and produces the pollutant when excessive fertilizer and manure runs off into the water.

The City of Toledo sent three additional test samples to Environmental Protection Agency laboratories in Cincinnati, Columbus and Michigan on Saturday afternoon. It's unclear when those results will become available.

"Once we have the science, we will share it with you," Collins said. "No one is going without water at the end of this day."

Water will be available at distribution centers across the Toledo region beginning at 5 p.m. Families will only receive one case of H20, but the limit may be lifted as the situation develops, Collins said.

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